Lover of the Night
by AWritersMuse
Summary: I expected my life to end that night. What I didn't expect was to be whisked away to a land I thought only existed in fairy tales. Looking back, I wonder if I was really saved at all.
1. Chapter 1

I had never felt more alive than I did in this moment. Strong gusts of wind lighty pushed at my body, my hair wildly flailing behind me. The stars were shining bright in the night sky and the moon glowed with a beautiful luminosity that had me staring in amazement. One star seemed to gleam brighter than all of the others, radiating not only a lustrious light, but a glow that almost appeared other-worldly; magical. It was the same star that I always found myself looking at every full moon, the same star that I would imagine held incredible secrets, adventure, a new world. I had hoped that one day, I would visit that world and maybe tonight was it. Maybe tonight was the night I could finally see what laid beyond the canopy of stars.

This night was wonderful, gorgeous. Yet it was tragic nonetheless.

The tears had stopped hours ago and the pain subsided into a dull throb in the back of my head. I easily ignored it, transfixing my gaze and all thought into the picturesque scene in front of me. The distant sound of waves crashing against rock filled my ears and so I took slow steps to the edge of the cliff that had become my safe haven years ago. Peering over the edge, I could see the black, shimmering waves colliding with the jagged and pointed rocks that poked up from the surface of the water. It was so entrancing, so hypnotic and the thought of stepping over, of letting myself fall forcefully pushed its way into my mind.

Death did not scare me. I was no longer sad; I was numb. The thought of death seemed welcoming as I stood there, one foot precariously dangling from the edge. I smiled. My time was over, I was at the end. My future did not seem worth the endless pain that I had been put through since birth. I wanted to be free.

Amidst the roaring of the wind, a slight swooshing sound from my right had me broken out of my trance. I looked over to see nothing out of the ordinary, but the same noise sounded from my left, this time louder. Whipping my head every which way, I searched for any sign of another presence to no avail. The feeling of being watched was incredibly strong, yet I wasn't frightened.

After a few more minutes of scouring the area, I finally turned my attention back to the cliff's edge. The water below was beckoning me to jump, luring me in. There was no hesitating; I was ready. I was ready to end it all. Both of my shoes were halfway off of the cliff and one last smile graced my lips.

Before I could even begin to tilt forward, something had grabbed hold of my arm. It felt like hand, but it was cold and whispy, like the touch of a ghost. Slightly startled, I spun around to meet two large, glowing eyes. They shined dimly in a mass of black that was outlined in the shape of a head. I looked down and realized that it was a silhouette of a person, almost like a shadow, only it wasn't attached to a body.

A gasp had escaped my mouth as I stared wide eyed at the ominious presence in front of me. I wondered briefly if I was just seeing things, but the shadow seemed to step back, pulling me with it.

"Do not jump." Its voice was raspy, light, and whispery, floating with the wind and disappearing with a faint echo. The sound sent shivers down my spine, but its words had me blinking in confusion. Why wouldn't it want me to jump?

As if sensing my question, the shadow replied: "I can take you somewhere far away from here. A place where you can be free, a place of magic."

Honestly, I had no idea how to respond. The fact that I was being spoken to by a shadow was ludicrous enough, but now it was saying that it could take me to a magical land? I had to be dreaming. There was no possible way that this was actually happening.

Or maybe I had finally gone off the deep end.

"You have not gone mad if that is what you think. This is no dream. I am real just as you are real; just as the place I speak of is real."

Despite my slight disbelief of the situation I took another step forward as curiosity had gotten the better of me. I mean, I was talking to a shadow. Who wouldn't be curious? "This place... will I be happy?"

"You could be, if you believe."

"Okay...How do I get there?"

"The star," it said simply.

"What star? What are you talking about?" This whole conversation was beginning to make me question my mental state.

"The star that shines brighter than all the others. The one you look to every night, once a month. That is where it is." I turned around and gazed at the shining star it spoke of. I always had the feeling that there was something special about that star, something magical. Maybe it was true. What if this land really existed?

What if this is all a dream and I wake up even more depressed than I already am?

"This just doesn't seem possibe. I must be dreaming." My fingers pinched the skin of my arm roughly, causing a sharp sting. Two purple nail marks appeared and I cursed.

"Take my hand and I will show you that this is real." The shadow extended its arm out to me, but I took a step back.

"It...it just can't be. This can't be real," I whispered, my eyes staring at the misty black hand that reached for mine.

"It is." The shadow took another step forward. Instictively, I moved back, and I was suddenly teetering off of the edge of the cliff. I shook my head at the shadow.

"No, no," I whimpered. I was delerious. My mind was so clouded with pain and sadness that I was now conjuring up images and tricking my eyes into seeing them. No, I came here for one purpose and one purpose only. This all needed to end; tonight.

Without a second thought, I let my body fall backwards.

The first thing I felt was the whoosh of air around me as I gradually gained mometum. Then, I felt my stomach dropping, like I was on a rollercoaster, only it was a more violent feeling that made the air escape from my lungs. My eyes were shut tightly, and I readily awaited the end.

But before I could think any last thoughts, everything stilled. The deafening roar of the wind quieted and my body ceased to fall. I felt as if I was floating, a light, airy sensation wrapping around me. Confusion trickled in. I was expecting to feel something, any inkling of pain that indicated I was dead. Was I? I had to be. It must be over.

Then I felt a pressure around my arms that felt similar to the hand of the shadow that had touched me previously. Slowly, I cracked one eye open and then the other. A shocked gasp escaped my mouth as soon I saw the position I was in. I _was_ floating. The tips of the rocks that I was supposed to have fallen on were about five feet below me, the waves crashing up against them, spraying me with a light mist. The shadow had stopped me from falling and we were _floating_; in _midair_.

"How...how is this possible?" I breathed.

"It is real, as I told you." My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. This was it, there was no way I was dreaming at this point. The proof was right here in front of me. Hell, I _was_ the proof. Not many people can say that they, alone, were able to defy gravity. Or speak to a shadow for that matter.

"Yeah, I guess it is," I said furrowing my eyebrows. "The place you mentioned; it's real."

"Yes." I let out a breath and turned my head to look at the shadow's glowing eyes.

"Take me."


	2. Chapter 2

I was not at all prepared for what happened next. Immediately, the shadow released its grip on my arms, and flew up, one hand still holding my own. The speed the shadow flew at took my breath away as we went higher and higher, heading straight for the star that outshined all the others. But with this increased height came my increased anxiety of how just how far up we were, and we were heading straight out of the atmosphere. I inwardly started to panic, shutting my eyes tightly.

Faster and faster we went, to the point where I was surprised I wasn't burning up from the speed. We were moving at the speed of light, the force creating a deafening roar in my ears. This entire experience was bizarre. I was currently breaking every physics law ever created, and yet here I was traveling through the air with nothing but a shadow holding me up, defying the laws of space and time; this shouldn't be possible. But it was; because this wasn't physics, this was magic.

The force of the speed was starting to take its toll on my body and I was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable. My skin felt as though it would rip straight off of my face, my hair ready to tear from my scalp. I felt my body begin to burn painfully.

_Stop, stop_, I pleaded in my head.

Then, nothing. Everything went still, the sudden silence causing a loud ring in my ears. I kept my eyes closed, afraid of what I would see if I opened them. Weightless is the only word I could describe how I felt, like I was just floating in a space of nothingness. Twenty long seconds mercilessly passed by and I was becoming impatient.

Maybe we're already there.

Just as I was about to open my eyes, we were suddenly shot off once again. A quiet shriek managed to make its way past my lips while we were propelled out into another dimension. But just as fast as we started, we slowed and I finally opened my eyes. What they saw made my jaw drop open.

We were currently flying over a vast ocean that glittered in the moonlight. Just up ahead was a large island, a mass of dense looking forest surrounded by a ring of sand. It looked so majestic and beautiful, like a painting. I instantly forgot about my anxiety of heights and the unstable feeling of not being secured to anything as we soared fifty feet in the air.

I couldn't believe it, the place was real and right in front of me. And that's when it all just clicked. Suddenly, the impossible seemed...well, possible. Everything I thought was fantasy was real. And in that moment, I believed, I believed whole heartedly.

We were nearing the edge of the island, dropping lower and lower towards the pale sand. I was expecting a graceful landing; what I didn't expect was for the shadow to drop my hand completely. With a gasp, I fell harshly onto the sand, effectively knocking the wind out of me.

"Jesus," I wheezed as I rolled over onto my back. I laid there for a few moments, regaining my breath before sitting up and looking around. It was very quiet save for the sound of the waves crashing onto the sand and the light wind rustling the leaves of the trees behind me. It was incredibly peaceful and serene, even prettier than the view of the cliff back...home? On earth? I had no idea. All that mattered was that I was away from there. I escaped.

I felt like I should get up and explore, but I was so content just sitting here and watching. Relief washed over me and I smiled, teeth and all. I had all the time in the world starting now, so I allowed myself the luxury of finally relaxing. Eventually, I lost track of how long I was sitting there, watching the waves and gazing at the stars that shone brighter than any stars I had ever seen. It truly was a sight to see. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I was able to sit and think about absolutely nothing. Not my home, my mother, my future...I thought of nothing but the view around me.

After what may have been almost an hour, I stood up and dusted the sand off of my jeans. It was slightly cooler here, but I wasn't too phased by it. I looked down at my white lace slip-ons and wondered briefly if they were any good for trecking through this forest. I doubted it, but there wasn't much I could do anyway. So on I went.

I imagined a forest at night to be somewhat creepy, like in the horror movies, but it seemed just as peaceful as the beach. With a contented sigh, I happily made my way through the trees, not knowing exactly what I was looking for. Maybe I would walk all the way to the other side. It wouldn't be much of an issue as my legs were used to the hard workouts I put them through as well as my arms at the boxing gym. It was a good way for me to release pent up anger and frustration instead of doing something stupid and illegal like most other people I had known. I learned how to box pretty well and took up a few self-defense classes. I even went as far as taking an archery class but realized soon that I was absolute rubbish with a bow. My mind was always to distracted to focus on the target and I would end missing far off the mark every time. So I stuck with fighting, using it as my escape for a couple of years. I missed it, but at the same time I didn't. It was a reminder of everything, the pain, the constant sadness...

No. I shook my head. That was over now. I was in a new land in an entirely different world. I could start over, have adventures, be happy.

However, I couldn't help but feel as though something was off. Was I only the person on this island? Or were there other people? I mean there had to be. It didn't make sense for the shadow to tell me of this magical land and expect me to just live here alone. I sighed. I guess it really didn't matter. I'm sure there is plenty to do on the island that could keep me occupied. I just had to be creative, use my imagination.

With an extra skip in my step I continued walking, noticing how the forest seemed to breathe with life. Even the trees had a pulse. Everything just _glowed_. It had to be some sort of magic, even if I had no idea what it looked like, there was no other explanation. I felt my body become more alive, more powerful, like I was feeding off of the energy around me. It was a brilliant feeling.

A laugh escaped past my lips and I breathed in deeply, letting it out in a happy sigh. I had never felt this wonderful in years. I could take on anything now. I was sitting on top of the world. It was the most amazing sense of euphoria that filled me up completely from head to toe. I was free.

Several hours had gone by, and I only stopped once to grab a piece of fruit that closely resembled a pear from a smaller tree. The fruit was delicious and incredibly sweet, heightening my mood even further. It was still pretty dark out, but I expected the sun to come up within the next two hours. I was excited to see what everything looked like in the daytime.

I had only walked for another ten minutes when I heard rustling from up ahead. I froze in place, my heart pounding against my chest in anxiety, or maybe it was fear, I wasn't sure. It could only be an animal, but what kind of animal was the question. Were there panthers here? Cougars? Anything dangerous in general?

I was about to dash to the nearest tree to hide when a person came into view, their face covered by the hood of their cloak. He or she held a large club in one hand which they nonchalantly rested on their shoulder. By the way the stranger held themselves, I assumed it was a man who stood in front of me.

"Well, well, what is this?" said a masculine voice. His tone was mocking and I could almost hear the smirk on his lips. "Boys, looks like we have a guest."

I stayed completely frozen, unable to utter a word. I should have been relieved, after all there were people on the island. However, by the tone this guy used and the way he twirled his club around threateningly, I felt far from comforted. It was safe to say that I was not going to be welcomed with open arms.

All of a sudden, ten other boys wth similar cloaks came out in a semicircle, each weilding a different weapon ranging from clubs and spears to swords and bows. And they were all pointed at me.

"Holy shit..." I breathed out, my eyes widening in fear. "Um..."

And then I ran.

* * *

**Hello! I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, but this is my first OUAT fan fiction...well, my first fan fiction in general really. So please review, let me know what you think and please let me know if you have any suggestions/criticisms. I'm trying to keep Peter's character true to the show, but obviously I'll be characterizing him a bit differently later on. Oh, and as a side note, I don't have Word, therefore I don't have spellchecker so I apologize in advance for any misspellings, incorrect grammar/punctuation, or funky words that make no sense... I proofread as much as I can, but sometimes my eyes just train over those things! Thank you and enjoy (: **

**-Bridie**


	3. Chapter 3

I agiley jumped over roots and fallen branches as I ran for my life, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The sound of heavy footsteps right behind me had my legs pumping even faster if that was possible. It had been a long while since I ran like this and my body was immediately not responding well. Amidst my attempt to not get myself skewered by crazed teenagers, I realized the ridiculousness of the situation. Was this some sick joke? Why would I be brought here if I was only going to get killed? I mentally cursed the shadow almost running into a low tree branch in the process.

Maybe this was all a game, luring in suicidal and defenseless kids so these guys could satisfy their sadistic bloodlusts. A game of manhunt taken to the extreme. A chill ran down my spine.

More shouts and footsteps sounded and I racked my brain, trying to think of any way to get rid of my pursuers. In my panicked state, I remembered an old episode of _Psych_-"Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark"-recalling the scene where Henry instructed Shawn to run in zig-zags if being chased. So that's exactly what I did. I began to run in large zig-zags across the forest floor, weaving through trees and bushes as I did so, praying that it was working. To take advice from a comedy show was a long shot, but maybe with a stroke of luck it would throw them off.

Who was I kidding, I'm never lucky.

Taking a sharp turn to the right, I pushed and pushed my body knowing full well that I was on the brink of collapsing. My chest burned and my legs screamed in pain. I was starting to slow down against my will while a painful cramp formed in my side. Everything in me begged me to stop. To my absolute relief, I couldn't hear anything or anyone behind me, but I kept going unwilling to take any chances. If I stopped, even for a moment, I could be as good as dead.

I have to say that I really wasn't one to run away from compromising situations which, I guess, isn't always the best thing. I was one to face my problems head on, regardless if I got hurt in the end and considering the fact that I almost killed myself several hours ago, getting hurt was the usual outcome. One might think it to be reckless and stupid, but for me it's instinct. The body reacts to threatening situations with the general "fight-or-flight" response and ever since before I could remember I always chose "fight." However, when surrounded by a group of teenage boys with large, pointed objects you can probably understand exactly why I chose flight this time. Had they been unarmed, it would be a totally different ballgame.

Taking another left, I noticed a large boulder with an overlay of moss and vines covering the front just up ahead in a small breakthrough of trees. With great reluctancy, I stopped to examine the boulder for any possible hideouts. It didn't take long for me to realize that there was no way around it as the boulder was a protrusion of a rock wall about ten feet high. I was stuck.

"Dammit," I muttered harshly.

Voices gradually became louder and louder and the sound of leaves crunching not far from me caused my heart to jump painfully against my ribcage. I stepped back, expecting my back to hit the soft surface of moss only to stumble back _into_ the rock; literally. It turned out that the vines were hiding the entrance into the wall, a rather clever idea when I thought about it. Turning around, my eyes met a beautiful clearing completely surrounded by the stone wall. It was eerily blue indicating that dawn was approaching and I became gravely aware of how much harder if would be to hide in the daytime.

The majority of the clearing was grassy, a few trees here and there, with a large pond to the right. I would have stood there and appreciated the lovely scene in front of me a bit longer, but I needed to get the hell away from the psychos with sticks who were now right outside the entrance. I dove to the left and shoved myself into a small crevice formed in the wall, effectively hiding me from anyone's view. My breaths were coming out loudly and ragged and it wasn't long before I began to feel the aftermath of sprinting two miles. I was exhausted.

A few minutes went by, and the shouts of the boys became more and more distant; however, I stayed in my spot afraid to get up to soon if there were any stragglers staying behind. Another five minutes and I slowly stood up from my cramped position. My legs felt like jello beneath me, a feeling that I wasn't exactly a stranger too so I could deal with it. The acid build-up burned my throat and my chest was still moving up and down rapidly, but other than that I was fine; just incredibly shaken up.

The sun was rising quickly, painting the sky above the wall in a brilliant pink-orange color. I was able to see just how green the grass was, the small patches of colorful flowers dotted around the meadow, and the pond water that sparkled in the growing sunlight. It was beyond gorgeous and so peaceful, even more so than the beach. Walking up to the edge of the water, I noticed just how clear it was. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath while a morning breeze cooled off my over-heated skin.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Remember what I said earlier about never being lucky? Well...

For the second time in twenty-four hours I turned around completely startled. A boy stood in front of me, brown hair and a mocking grin. He didn't seem to have a weapon on him, so I immediately let go of my tensed muscles, but that didn't stop me from keeping my gaurd up. That smirk of his was unsettling and the way he looked at me made it seem as though he knew every little detail about myself. To be honest, it creeped me out a bit.

"Uh, yeah..." I trailed off, making it known how weirded out I was. He seemed to catch on.

"My apologies. I'm Peter. Peter Pan," he introduced with a sarcastic bow. Did he just say Peter Pan?

"Peter Pan? So, what, do you mean to tell me were in Neverland?"

"Indeed. You caught on quickly." The smirk never left his face and was increasingly making me feel uncomfortable. But what was even more unsettling was the fact that not only was I brought to a magical land in an entirely different world, but this land happened to be a place I thought only existed in fairy tales. I mean, it kind of made sense when I thought about it. However, I was always under the impression that Peter Pan was supposed to be younger and less...menacing.

"Okay...and I'm guessing the band of not-so-merry men back there are the Lost Boys?"

"Look at you, you've done your research," he replied with fake praise.

"You're sarcasm is neither necessary nor wanted," I mumbled. He shot me an amused look before walking closer to me.

"Now I have a question for you."

"Shoot," I said looking at him straight in the eye. He stared back for a moment before speaking.

"Well, the thing is..." He trailed off looking at me expectantly.

"Neri," I lied. I was still a bit weary about this Pan fellow so I wasn't about to go out and tell him my real name just yet. The way he narrowed his eyes led me to believe he knew I was lying, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Okay, _Neri_," he said emphasizing the name. "The thing is, you came here most unexpectedly."

"No, really?" I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. He ignored me.

"I'm usually the one who sends my shadow out for boys I chose in advance. However, my shadow came back with not only someone I never sent for, but a girl no less. My question is, why exactly are you here?"

His tone held no trace of accusation or a threat, just plain curiosity. I opened my mouth to speak, but found it difficult to answer. Why _was_ I here?

"I-I don't know," I said honestly. "I mean, one minute I'm standing at the edge of a cliff about to end my life and the next minute a shadow is telling me it can take me to a magical place where my dreams will come true. I-Shit, forget I said that." I was now mortified. Did I really just confess to a total stranger that I was about to kill myself? Of all the stupid things to say..."Look, the point is, I was curious. End of story."

Pan's gaze on me was hard, as if he was trying to figure me out. I kept my face blank, devoid of any emotion. I didn't like showing how I felt, nor expressing it. After years of basically being on my own without any real friends or family, it was easy to put up a wall, to become invisible. It wasn't something I minded, I actually loved that no one noticed me. People would look right past me without a second glance. It was amazing how an unreadable expression and dull appearance could automatically make you a wallflower.

So imagine my discomfort when, for the first time in years, someone was actually looking at me, assessing me, trying to read me. I didn't let my discomfort show, I wouldn't. We both stood there, narrowed eyes staring into blank ones; one searching, the other hiding. Inside, I was still absolutely horrified that I let that slip, I was incredibly uncomfortable with this "boy" in front of me, and I was frightened because I had finally escaped from my so called "life" and now there is a possibility I will have to go back. Pan said it himself, only boys came here. Part of me felt a bit offended that the shadow had brought me here. Does it know the difference between a guy and a girl? I mean, my hair is much too lengthy to belong to a boy.

I shook my head. That was not important. What's important is the fact that I would most likely have to go back to the real world and I wasn't sure if I could handle that. The sound of a dark chuckle broke me out of my thoughts and I brought my eyes up again to meet his.

"You certainly are a mystery," he murmered, just loud enough for me to hear. "Very hard to read." He paused, looking at me with this dark smile that put me on edge. I decided to speak up now.

"So...are you going to take me back?" I asked trying to keep the dejection from my voice. He gave me a confused look.

"Take you back where?"

"Back to where I came from?" It came more of a question as I stared at him like it was obvious.

"Why would I take you back?"

"Well, I mean, you kind of said it yourself. Only boys come here." He cocked his head, a thoughful expression on his face.

"There's a first time for everything."

"Why?" Again, he looked at me confused. "Why are you letting me stay?" I asked more specifically. He shrugged.

"Curiosity," he replied plainly. "It's something new, something different. A twist in the game..." Pan added the last part quietly to himself, but I was still able to hear and it made me feel uneasy. A twist in what game?

"Plus I like a challenge," he continued louder. "And you, my dear, you are just that. Not many people can outrun my lost boys through these woods, or run as long and far as you did for that matter. You're quite the intriguing figure."

My eyebrows furrowed and I took in a breath, releasing it out slowly. Something felt off. It wasn't a particularly good feeling at all. In fact, I admit I was slightly nervous as to what Pan was planning in his head. He was nothing like what the storybooks had described. No, he was much darker and more adult like than any guy of his age that I have ever come across. It was beyond strange.

Pan nonchalantly walked over to the stone wall and knocked his kunckles against the trunk of a large tree that grew right beside it. I raised an eyebrow at the action, giving Pan a suspicious glare. I wanted him to know that I didn't trust him. From the grin he gave me, it was evident that he knew just what I thought of him.

"Come on out, boys!" he yelled out. Almost immediately, the same group of teenagers that had chased me through the woods came filing in through the entrance of the meadow. The boy with the club smirked at me while the others just stared blankly. What the hell was going on? A gang bang? I supressed a shudder all the while Peter Pan continued to grin evilly.

"Let me introduce you to our very first Lost Girl. She'll be staying with us for quite some time so I expect each and every one of you to welcome her warmly." A few of them snickered when he said this and all I could do in that moment was curse that damn shadow to the fiery pits of hell.


End file.
